


The Curator

by KimberleeSkye



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Chameleon Arch, Day of the Doctor, Fatherhood, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-24
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-02 12:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1056701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KimberleeSkye/pseuds/KimberleeSkye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My mind made a head-cannon after watching The Day of the Doctor. This does contain spoilers! Summery is inside!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Curator

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS!!! 
> 
> SPOILERS!!!
> 
>  
> 
> Summery:
> 
>  
> 
> So the second Tom Baker appeared on the screen I immediately made a head-cannon involving the curator and Osgood (the girl with the scarf). 
> 
> So, 4th doctor needed to lay low for a while, so he used the Chameleon Arch to become human and got a normal job as a curator of a strange art collection. He got married and had two daughters. One was beautiful the other brilliant.

He has a normal job as a curator of a strange art collection. He's married (divorced actually) and has two daughters. One was beautiful the other brilliant. This is a story of how he became the doctor again. 

Soon after his youngest daughter graduated from university, she came home for a visit so excited that she had an interview for her dream job. He was so proud and excited for her, he went to the attic and pulled out his most cherished possession, an old scarf, and wrapped it around her for luck. 

Then he received a call from someone who he hadn't thought about in years... Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart... They exchange pleasantries, and the conversation seems ever so painful. As if the Brigadier doesn't know quite who he's talking to. Which is ridiculous . The man had been the one to call him in the first place. "Speaking of family..." The true reason for the call... The Brigadier says that HIS daughter, Kate, had recently recruited a young woman who wore a very familiar scarf. "Doctor? Is that you?" he asked, and the aged curator froze, his hand reaching into his pocket to clutch an old pocket watch. His heart begins to hammer in his ears, and he slams the phone down on the receiver. He can hear the phone ringing, but he's too caught up in memories... But they can't be... They're only dreams he chants over and over, it's not real.

He refuses to think of the impossible thoughts until one day, a few years later. His brilliant daughter calls him breathless that she's had the most terrifying and frightening day and met the most amazing doctors. Or rather... Doctor... How she can't talk about it, but she just wanted to tell him that she was alright. She brightly mentions that they've been about the museum for much of the day and he might run into the doctor. He promises he'll see her for lunch and that he loves her.  
"Be good, and stay safe." "I will, love you."

And as they both hang up. the thoughts overwhelm him once more. UNIT, the Time Lords, Susan, Sarah Jane, the Daleks, everything. But in all of those memories, he doesn't remember Osgood. Nothing about the museum. He knows that it must have been him who she meet, but how could it be that he doesn't remember her. 

He staggers out of his office, past the public exhibits to his own section of the museum. The strange and secret section, off limit to the public. He notes but doesn't truly acknowledge the damage that surrounds him; a hole in a priceless painting of Queen Elizabeth I, sand and missing statues shattered glass and defaced paintings, until he reaches the last room. He sees a young woman sauntering into the blue box, /tardis/ and listens as a gangling man, made of up of limbs and chin, talk to himself. Become a curator.. Does he not remember this? Does he not know that who he was? Does he not remember his beautiful daughters? Is this what he was to become. He speaks and as the Chin turns to him, he see's recognition and joy. How can he feel joy? Doesn't he know what he almost lost? They speak of Gallifrey, of things that he's kept buried for all these years. And when he looks into his other-selves eyes, he sees the sadness there, the age, the knowledge of loss more great then he has ever known, And he knows that this is his future. He is not looking into some forgotten past life, but a future one.

His memories are as close as they have ever been. As he turns to leave the room, his mind settles on heartbreaking reality. He has to leave now. He can no longer be the Curator. The Father. He has to become the Doctor once again. If he were to stay, and die a human, then he would never become the man he just met. The man who saved his daughter. So, to ensure that he is there, in the future, to save her. He must become the doctor again. 

He clutches the watch in his hands and presses open the cover. He closes his eyes and feels the energy surround him, he feels his skin tightening, his back straightens as brittle human bones are replaced. His clothing becomes far too loose and as he opens his eyes to take in his slighter figure, he sees his snow white curls have returned to their original bronze luster. He straightens, one hand clutching at his trousers, as he heads for the back storage, where a dark silent, tardis has been waiting for him. As he reaches for the door, it swings open and there is Osgood, her eyes wide and startled to have nearly run into him. 

"Oh! So sorry!" She apologizes, wringing her hands as they circle each other, "Are you alright?"

"Are you speaking mentally or physically?" he blurts out. Dear lord, where is his head. You couldn't just give a straight answer could you. Noooo. 

"Ah..." She hesitates, her eyes darting about the room, "both?"

"Not all that well, then." He mutters, hiking up his trousers once again. 

"I'm sorry." Her eye brows furrow and she pulls out her inhaler and takes a deep breath. 

"Quite alright." He turns to open the door once again, pausing briefly to listen to her soft shuffling footsteps.

"Oh, erm... Sorry..." He turns around to look at her, she's wringing her hands again, "To which were you answering?"

"Both, I suppose." He feels his lips quirk,

"Ah. Well, feel better." She bobbed her head and continued towards the painting room. 

"Until we meet again." He whispers to her retreating figure. Turning back to the door once again, back to the TARDIS, and back to his destiny.


End file.
